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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. staff — a stick
  3. march — the month
  4. race — a contest
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. march — the month
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mug — a face
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mug — to rob
  12. race — humankind
  13. staff — employees
  14. band — a music group
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. march — music
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mug — a cup
  19. staff — employees
  20. band — a ring
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. race — the arms race
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com